The present invention relates to a sprinkler assembly and, more particularly, to a flush sprinkler assembly for use in a side wall mount.
Automatic sprinklers are well known and have long been used in fire extinguishing systems. Typically, automatic sprinkler assemblies include a sprinkler head which includes an inlet for connecting to a pressurized supply of water or other fire extinguishing fluid, an outlet opening, and a deflector which is mounted spaced from the outlet opening of the sprinkler head. The deflector disperses and directs the water in an optimum pattern when the water is discharged through the outlet opening. In one common form, the deflector is mounted in a fixed position and spaced from the outlet opening by a frame. The frame includes a pair of arms, which attach to either side of the sprinkler head, and aligns the deflector with the path of the water when it is discharged through the outlet opening. The outlet opening is normally closed by a closure seal which is held in place typically by a trigger element, such as a glass bulb or a fusible link element. The trigger element extends between the seal and the frame and is usually held in place by a set screw or the like.
Other forms of sprinkler assemblies include flush sprinkler assemblies. Flush sprinkler assemblies include a housing and a deflector which is recessed within the housing. The deflector is movably mounted to the sprinkler head by a pair of guide members and moves between a closed position in which the deflector is recessed within the housing and an extended position wherein the deflector projects from the housing and is spaced from the outlet opening of the sprinkler head. Since the deflector is supported only by two guide members, the deflector can experience instability or rotation about the axis extending between the two guide members. Similar to a fixed sprinkler head assembly, a flush sprinkler head assembly includes a thermally responsive trigger mechanism and a fluid seal. In a flush sprinkler, the fluid seal is positioned within the interior of the sprinkler head and is maintained in a closed position by a pair of pins or actuators. The pins are inwardly biased by the trigger mechanism. Thus, under normal operating conditions, the trigger mechanism prohibits fluid flow from the outlet of sprinkler head. When the temperature rises to a preselected value, the trigger mechanism, which is normally a fusible link, separates permitting the pins to move in an outward direction under the pressure of the water. With the separation of the fusible link, the pressure in the water supply line pushes the fluid seal away from the outlet opening and the deflector to its outward position thereby enabling the water to travel through the sprinkler head and to be dispersed by the deflector.
In side wall mounted sprinklers, however, the ejection of trigger assembly may slow the release of the deflector from within the housing of the flush sprinkler assembly. Additionally, the orientation of assembly causes the pressurized water to disperse in a horizontal direction. While attempts have been made to redirect the flow of the water downwardly by adding a blade to the deflector, heretofore these side wall sprinklers have not produced an optimal spray pattern. Nor are they suitable for flush mounted arrangements since they do not permit the deflector to be fully recessed within the sprinkler head base. Consequently, there is a need for a flush side wall sprinkler assembly which offers improved ejection of the trigger assembly from the sprinkler head assembly when the trigger is activated. Furthermore, there is a need for an automatic side wall sprinkler assembly which exhibits an optimized spray pattern.
The present invention provides a flush side wall sprinkler assembly which includes an improved deflector and trigger assembly. The deflector assembly optimizes the dispersion of the water as it flows from the outlet by directing the flow of water outwardly and downwardly from the sprinkler head assembly when the sprinkler assembly is exposed to temperatures associated with a fire. The trigger assembly includes an ejector mechanism which improves the ejection of the trigger assembly from the sprinkler head assembly.
According to one form of the invention, a side wall sprinkler assembly includes a sprinkler body, a deflector, a closure member, and a trigger assembly. The deflector includes a pair of blades which are positioned on a common side from a central axis of the deflector. The closure member seals the outlet opening of the sprinkler body. The trigger assembly urges the closure member to sealingly engage the sprinkler body to close the outlet opening. Upon detecting a temperature associated with a fire, the trigger assembly releases the closure member whereby the pressurized fluid moves the closure off the outlet opening moves the deflector to the extended position.
In one aspect, the deflector includes a pair of upwardly extending arms, with the blades extending between the upwardly extending arms. In preferred form, the pair of blades are generally parallel.
In other aspects, the deflector is movably mounted to the body for generally horizontal movement. The deflector is movable between a retracted position wherein the deflector is recessed within the body and an extended position wherein the deflector is spaced from the outlet opening for dispersing the pressurized fluid which flows from the outlet opening.
According to another form of the invention, an automatic side wall sprinkler assembly includes a sprinkler body, a deflector, a closure member, and a trigger assembly. The deflector is movably mounted to the body for generally horizontal movement between a retracted position wherein at least a portion of the deflector is recessed within a cavity of the sprinkler head body and an extended position wherein the deflector is spaced from an outlet opening of the sprinkler head body for dispersing pressurized fluid which flows from the outlet opening. The deflector includes a pair of generally horizontal deflecting surfaces which are positioned and spaced from and generally parallel to a direction of flow of the fluid from the outlet opening for directing the flow of fluid outwardly and downwardly from the sprinkler assembly. The closure member is positioned between the deflector and the outlet opening for sealing the outlet opening. The trigger assembly applies a biasing force to urge the deflector in the retracted position and to urge the closure member to sealingly engage the sprinkler body to thereby close the outlet opening. Upon detecting a temperature associated with a fire, the trigger assembly releases the biasing force on the deflector and the closure member whereby the pressurized fluid moves the closure member off the outlet opening and moves the deflector to the extended position.
In one aspect, the trigger assembly includes a heat sensitive assembly and a spring assembly. The heat sensitive assembly has a pair of elements which are interconnected by heat fusible material which melts upon detecting a temperature associated with a fire. The spring assembly biases the deflector toward the retracted position and further urges the elements to separate when the heat fusible material is melted. Upon separating the elements, however, the spring releases the bias on the deflector. For example, the elements of the heat sensitive assembly may comprise plates.
In another aspects, the sprinkler assembly includes an ejector member for urging the trigger assembly to eject from the sprinkler head when the heat fusible material melts. For example, the spring assembly may include a pair of levers, with the ejector member being positioned between the levers and the deflector assembly to eject the levers from the sprinkler body when the heat sensitive assembly is triggered. In further aspects, the spring assembly further includes a lever support and a set screw, with the lever support being positioned between the levers and the ejector member and the set screw providing a biasing force to bias the deflector in the retracted position.
In other aspects, the ejector member is coupled to the lever support. For example, in one form the ejector member may include a pair of arms which releasably engage the lever support.
In another form of the invention, a side wall sprinkler assembly includes a sprinkler body, a deflector, a closure member, and a trigger assembly. The sprinkler body has a passage which extends through the body and defines an inlet opening and an outlet opening. The inlet opening communicates with a pressurized supply of fire suppressant fluid for delivering the pressurized fluid through the passage to the outlet opening. The sprinkler body includes a cavity, with the outlet opening being positioned in the cavity. The deflector is movably mounted to the sprinkler head body by three pins and moves between a retracted position within the cavity during an inactive state and an extended position outside of the cavity during an active state. The closure member is positioned between the deflector and the outlet opening for sealing the outlet opening. The trigger assembly applies a biasing force to the closure member to close the outlet opening. Upon detecting a temperature associated with a fire the trigger assembly releases the biasing force whereby the pressurized fire suppressant fluid in the passage moves the closure member off the outlet opening and moves the deflector assembly to the extended position.
In yet another form of the invention, an automatic side wall sprinkler assembly includes a sprinkler body, a deflector, a closure member, and a trigger assembly. Similar to the other forms, the deflector is movably mounted to the sprinkler body between a retracted position wherein at least a portion of the deflector is recessed within a cavity of the sprinkler body and an extended position wherein the deflector is spaced from an outlet opening of the sprinkler body for dispersing pressurized fluid which flows from the outlet opening. The closure member is positioned between the deflector and the outlet opening for sealing the outlet opening. The trigger assembly applies a biasing force to urge the deflector in the retracted position and to urge the closure member to sealingly engage the sprinkler body to thereby close the outlet opening. Upon detecting a temperature associated with a fire, the trigger assembly releases the biasing force on the deflector and the seal whereby the pressurized fluid moves the seal off the outlet opening and moves the deflector to the extended position.
In preferred form, the trigger assembly includes a heat sensitive assembly and a spring assembly. The heat sensitive assembly has a pair of elements which are interconnected by heat fusible material, which melts upon detecting of a temperature associated with a fire. The spring assembly applies a bias to urge the deflector toward the retracted position and urges the elements to separate when the heat fusible material melts. In further aspects, the trigger assembly includes an ejector member. When the spring assembly releases the bias on the deflector, the ejector urges the spring assembly to eject outwardly from the sprinkler head body.
These and other advantages, benefits, and objects will be understood by one skilled in the art from the drawings, descriptions, and claims which follow.